Collapsible shipping container



Oct. 26, 1943. G. x. GARVEY COLLAPSBJE SHIPPING CONTAINER Filed Aug. 29, 1941 59 J6 42u37@ 40 4/ Patented Oct. 26, 1943 COLLAPSIBLE T` 'OFFICE l Gerald X.' Garvey, lushngrY.- y Application 'August 29, 1941, Serial'Nof. 458,745

1 Claim. (ci. 1501-49);

This invention relates to shipping containers, andhas forits object to provide shipping containers whichV can be readilyvmade up to contain goods fonshipping and which can bejust as readily collapsed when returning to the place of origin, if returned in ballast.` In either ship`` ping or returning position these containers may bereadily moved fromplace to place or from pier to steamer or vice-versa, by` means of hydraulic or'the like lift trucks. A containerof this kind when lled with goods to be shipped has considerable weight, and when `closed and sealed has a volumetric dimension, so that one container i can be placed upon another, and side by side, i i

like brick upon brick,` and thereby the space in a. hold or in a car, is fully utilized. Likewise,`the

` improved container is constructed in such a` way that the contour of `the collapsed container is such that the collapsed containers can be placed parallel with each other, one on top of the other. But whether in shipping or in closed position, the structural features are so arranged that a lift truck can engage either a filled container, or

one of several superposed empty move them from place to place.

'I'he invention consists in a shipping container,

containers, and

comprising a collapsible structure adapted to be k filled when extended and adapted to be collapsed when empty, said structure having a bottom which is ilat when extended, and having parts hinged to each other,` and collapsible into substantial parallelism, uprights forsaid structure, extending below said bottom,` and guide rods on the lower part of the bottom parts, said uprights and said guide rods being spaced to conform toA the width and length of a standard lift truck, whereby both when lled and when collapsed, the container may be engaged by said truck lifted and moved from place to plac y The invention consistsof other features of `con. structions which will be further described in con- Fig. 5 is a front View ofthe frame as folded, 'and without the enclosing canvas envelope;

Fig. Bis a detail section takenon line 6 6 of Fig. 1;,and Y Fig. 7'7 is a view of a form of swivel locks, to show the method of fastening tothe canvas.`

Similar characters ,of reference `indicater corresponding parts:

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to'Figs. 1 to 4, the improved container is shown in Fig. 1, with the flap, which covers the front open side and the open top, in broken away form, all the rest of the sides, l0, and I2 are formed of the canvas envelope. The part of the 'front flap which closes the front sideof the container is indicated at I3, and the part of the flap which closesthe top is indicated by I4; The edgeof thepart |4`is provided with a reinforcing strap I5 having a slot |58, to be engaged by an eye bolt I6, and this by a padlock I5b whereby the container is entirely closed.

The structure of the containers consists of a bottom 2U formed of two matching members 2| and 22 each Aat their innermost ends having hinges 23 (see Fig, 5) which in turn are secured to a common central member 24. Each of the members 2| and 22, has at their outer;ends, at their upper-sides, hinges 25, which in turn are secured to uprights, 26, 21, 28 and 29. The two uprights 26 and 21 are joined at their `upper ends by a fixed.` bar 33, and the two uprights 28 and 29 are joined at their -upper ends by a iiired bar 3|. The uprights 26,21, 28 and 29, extend at their lower ends below the bottom 2|), as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The upper ends of the uprights have equally sized bars hinged thereto and to` j each other, the upright26 has 'a bar. 33 hinged nection with the embodiment shown in the drawi in the claim.` 4 l In the accompanying drawing- Fig. 1 is a perspective View shipping container;

Fig. 2 is a` section of the Same, taken on line 2 2 of Fig- 1; i

Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on line 3-3`o`f ing, -and the invention `will be i'inallyset forth of my improved Fig. 2, when the container is in normal position l at rest;

yFig.` 4 isthe same View, but showing it raised by a lift truck, l

`at 34,which `bar 33 is hinged at 35 to another bar 36, which in turn is right 29. The upright 21 has a bar to it at 39. A bar 4D is hinged at 4| 42 which joins the bars 38 and 40.

38 hinged to a hinge A bolt lock 43 when bolted holds the bars 33 and 36 as well` as the bars 38 and 40 from collapsing.

The canvas or the like walls I0, and 2, `are suitably secured to the inner surfaces of theposts or uprights 25, 21, 28 and 29, as shown by 44, as indicating any kind of suitable fastening means. The front side of the parts 26 and 29,` the top sides of the iixed bars 30 and 3|, and

thefrear bars 38 and 4|) have swivel eyelets 48 arranged spaced from each other, as shown, and

when the apron 45 which has its lowermost end` at its edge permanently secured `to the side of l the bottom, covers the front and top of the con-` hinged at 31 to the uptainer, the eyelets 45,' of the apron engage the swivel connections 4S( A rope, or steel Wire can then be passed through the eyelets of theA swivels and have its ends jointed by a seal or lock, this being known as such and not shown. Thereby, a

sealed container can be easily provided, andfby.y

having its front and top opened it can be easily filled with various kinds of goods.

Horizontal supporting bars 8i] are secured to l each lateral edge portion of the members 2l and 22, to take np the vWeight of 'the contents in the v bag. The lower surface "of the Abars are even with thelovver ends ofthe uprights.

The ,pairs of uprights 2t and 2, and 23 and* 29 are so spaced from each other, `vvitlrthje bars"v n 80 in alignment therewith, that a lift-truck Aof standard make 'may be passed belo'vvthe vbottom and bel operated tor lift the'V improved-shipping.

container so asl to moveit from place to place. Not alone the Width but the length of the-"container, also conforms tothe Widthland 'length of the lift truck. ThusQ the entire .bottom (in distinction tothe bottom heretofore referred to, and marked Withthe reference'ZiXis so constructed that the container can be moved `by the f truck. v .im t i InFigureZ the lift truck is .shown in'plan, in dottedline. The frame 57 has 'rods 58, which rods operate/Vin. such alivrnannerin respect to the rollers '56 i (iront and rear) that bythe 'operation ofthe handle the ,rods 58 lare oper-ated and` the rollers movedV downwardly, whereby the truck and thejcontainerare raised, and can be moved -bythe rollers, vupon pulling v,or pushing the handle of Which rthe base E0 only is shown. Y The structure oisuohv a lift truck is known and, per se,

Qformvs no part 'of' this invention. ,Howeven it is the construction of the container for the purpose of being engaged by a standard lift truck which constitutes the improvement and a container which can be readily iilled, and when empty can be readily collapsed as shown, in Fig. 5. A group of such collapsed containers can be assembled and then engaged by a lift truck, the end disposition beingfalways such as to be engageable by such truck.

The invention has been described, but changes may be made therein Without departing from the rspirit of the same as defined in the appended claim.

v I claim: Y

A shipping container comprising corner upr rights, 'a bottom hinged to the uprights at a distance from the dependent lower ends thereof, a

" vertically disposed envelope closing three sides of the box-like space formed by the corner upyrightsuleaving an open space, and a vertically disposed apron detachably secured to the uprights boundingthe open space, saiddependent lower ends of the uprights being spaced aparta 4rdistance,sufficient/t0 allow a standard lift truck to 4engage the underside ofthebottom and. guide the lift truck `between said dependent portions, ,said bottom being composed of; two; parts hinged vtogether and adapted tofoyollapsejintozsubstantial 

